Shloka 58
दुर्योधनस्य कर्णप्रार्थना — कृपकर्णसंवादः
Duryodhana’s Appeal to Karna — The Kripa–Karna Dialogue
स वैक्लव्यं महत् प्राप्प छिन्नधन्वा शराहतः । तथा पुरुषमानी स प्रत्यपायाद् रथान्तरम्,यद्यपि कर्णको अपने पुरुषत्वका बड़ा अभिमान था, तो भी भीमसेनके बाणोंसे घायल हो धनुष कट जानेपर रथहीन होनेके कारण वह बड़ी भारी घबराहटमें पड़ गया और दूसरे रथपर बैठनेके लिये वहाँसे भाग निकला
sa vaiklavyaṃ mahat prāpya chinnadhanvā śarāhataḥ | tathā puruṣamānī sa pratyapāyād rathāntaram ||
బాణాలతో గాయపడి, ధనుస్సు తెగిపోవడంతో అతడు మహా వైకల్యంలో పడ్డాడు; పురుషాభిమానంతో ఉన్నప్పటికీ రథం లేక వెనుదిరిగి మరో రథం వైపు పారిపోయాడు।
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of pride under crisis: valor claimed in words is tested by circumstances, and when one’s means and support collapse, fear and retreat can arise even in the self-confident. Ethically, it invites reflection on humility and preparedness rather than mere self-assertion.
In the heat of battle, the warrior—identified here by the speaker as Karna—describes an opponent who is wounded by arrows and has his bow cut. Losing his fighting capacity and chariot-security, he becomes greatly shaken and withdraws to seek another chariot.